The Train of Life

"If one advances confidently in the direction of their dreams, and endeavors to lead a life which they have imagined, they will meet with a success unexpected in common hours." ~Henry David Thoreau

Some folks ride the train of life looking out the rear,
Watching miles of life roll by and marking every year.

They sit in sad remembrance of wasted days gone by,
And curse their life for what it was and hang their head and cry.

But I don't concern myself with that, I took a different vent,
I look forward to what life holds and not what has been spent.

So strap me to the engine, as securely as I can be,
I want to be out on the front, to see what I can see.

I want to feel the winds of change, blowing in my face,
I want to see what life unfolds, as I move from place to place.

I want to see what's coming up, not looking at the past,
Life's too short for yesterdays, it moves along too fast.

So if the ride gets bumpy, while you are looking back,
Go up front, and you may find, your life has jumped the track.

It's all right to remember, that's part of history,
But up front's where it's happening, there's so much mystery.

The enjoyment of living is not where we have been,
It's looking ever forward to another year and ten.

It's searching all the byways, never should you refrain,
For if you want to live your life, you gotta drive the train.

~By Marv Hardin
(Contributed by Ron who lives in Bend, Oregon)

Make This The Best Year Ever

I will no longer worry about yesterday.
It is in the past and the past will never change.
Only I can change by choosing to do so.

I will no longer worry about tomorrow.
Tomorrow will always be there, waiting for me to make the most of it.
But I cannot make the most of tomorrow without first making the most of today.

I will look in the mirror and I will see a person worthy of my respect and admiration.
This capable person looking back at me is someone I enjoy
spending time with and someone I would like to get to know better.

I will cherish each moment of my life.
I value this gift bestowed upon me in this world and I will unselfishly share
this gift with others. I will use this gift to enhance the lives of others.

I will take a moment to step off the beaten path and to revel in the mysteries I encounter.
I will face challenges with courage and determination. I will overcome what barriers
there may be which hinder my quest for growth and self-improvement.

I will take life one day at a time, one step at a time.
Discouragement will not be allowed to taint my positive self-image,
my desire to succeed or my capacity to love.

I walk with renewed faith in human kindness.
Regardless of what has gone before,
I believe there is hope for a brighter and better future.

I will open my mind and my heart.
I will welcome new experiences. I will meet new people.
I will not expect perfection from myself nor anyone else ... perfection does not
exist in an imperfect world. But I will applaud the attempt to overcome human foibles.

I am responsible for my own happiness and I will do things that make me happy.
I will admire the beautiful wonders of nature, listen to my
favorite music, pet a kitten or puppy, and soak in a bubble bath.
Pleasure can be found in the most simple of gestures.

I will learn something new; I will try something different;
I will savor all the various flavors life has to offer.
I will change what I can and the rest I will let go.
I will strive to become the best me I can possibly be.

I will live life this year in a way that
I can look back on it fondly and without regrets and
I WILL MAKE THIS THE BEST YEAR EVER!

~Author Unknown

Light Your Candle

Light the candle in your soul,
Carry it into the dark.
If you find a flame that's lost its glow
Light it with a spark.

The flame only grows brighter
When it gives another light,
And a billion burning candles
Can drive away the night.

Believe in yourself to the depth of your being,
Nourish the talents your spirit is freeing.
Know in your heart when the going gets slow,
That your faith in yourself will continue to grow.
Don't forfeit ambition when others may doubt,
It's your life to live, you must live it throughout.
Learn from your errors, don't dwell in the past,
Never withdraw from a world that is vast.
Believe in yourself, find the best that is you,
Let your spirit prevail, "Steer a course that is true."

Hold up your candle for all to see,
Reach from shore to shore,
And light the world with kindness
Now and forever more!

~Anon~

Ripples

Drop a pebble in the water: just a splash, and it is gone;
But there's half-a-hundred ripples circling on and on and on,
Spreading, spreading from the center, flowing on out to the sea.
And there is no way of telling where the end is going to be.

Drop a pebble in the water: in a minute you forget,
But there's little waves a-flowing, and there's ripples circling yet,
And those little waves a-flowing to a great big wave have grown;
You've disturbed a mighty river just by dropping in a stone.

Drop an unkind word, or careless: in a minute it is gone;
But there's half-a-hundred ripples circling on and on and on.
They keep spreading, spreading, spreading from the center as they go,
And there is no way to stop them, once you've started them to flow.

Drop an unkind word, or careless: in a minute you forget;
But there's little waves a-flowing, and there's ripples circling yet,
And perhaps in some sad heart a mighty wave of tears you've stirred,
And disturbed a life was happy ere you dropped that unkind word.

Drop a word of cheer and kindness: just a flash and it is gone;
But there's half-a-hundred ripples circling on and on and on,
Bearing hope and joy and comfort on each splashing, dashing wave
Till you wouldn't believe the volume of the one kind word you gave.

Drop a word of cheer and kindness: in a minute you forget;
But there's gladness still a-swelling, and there's joy circling yet,
And you've rolled a wave of comfort whose sweet music can be heard
Over miles and miles of water just by dropping one kind word.

~ By James W. Foley (1874-1939) Poet-laureate of North Dakota 1930-1939

GO GENTLY WITH THE FLOW

If the sky above seems cloudy, and you are left out in the rain,
If you are searching for a rainbow, but the colors bring you pain,

If your world is not revolving, and there is no end in sight,
If you are looking for the sunshine, but all you see is night,

If all around are smiling, but all you can do is frown,
If you are tired of all this living, when life just brings you down,

Then look beyond your teardrops, at the wonders of this land,
The beauty of a flower, like velvet in your hand.

Feel the air around you, the smell of new mown hay,
Laughing children in the park, the innocence there at play,

Imagine floating with a butterfly, as she flutters between the trees,
Or the whispers of the ocean, on warm hot summer's breeze,

Think of the taste of candy floss, as it melts upon your tongue,
Or the melody of morning birds, as they greet each day with song,

Remember words of beauty, told in your mother's embrace,
Feel the gentleness of her touch, as she softly kissed your face,

Seek the good within you, cast the clouds from your sky,
Don't look toward the pavement, but hold your head up high,

Think not what life owes you, but of all you have to give,
Forget about tomorrow, then you can start to live.

So bless this age you are living in, with the gifts you can bestow,
Don't disregard the stream of life,
Go gently with the flow.

~ © Shawnee Kellie

Heartprints

Whatever our hands touch
We leave fingerprints —
On walls, on furniture, on doorknobs and dishes;
There's no escape, as we touch we leave our identity.

Wherever I go today
Help me leave HEARTPRINTS —
Heartprints of compassion,
Of understanding and love.

Heartprints of kindness and genuine concern —
May my heart touch a lonely neighbor
Or a runaway daughter, or an anxious mother
Or perhaps an aged grandfather.

Send me out today to leave heartprints —
And if someone should say "I felt your touch,"
May they also sense the love
That is deep within my heart.

~Author Unknown

A Place for Me

There is a special place in life, that needs my humble skill,
A certain job I'm meant to do, which no one else can fulfill.

The time will be demanding, the pay is not too good,
And I wouldn't change it for a moment, even if I could.

There is a special place in life, a goal I must attain,
A dream that I must follow because I won't be back again.

There is a mark that I must leave, however small it seems to be.
A legacy of love for those who follow after me.

There is a special place in life, that only I may share.
A little path that bears my name, awaiting me somewhere.

There is a hand that I must hold, a word that I must say,
A smile that I must give, for there are tears to blow away.

There is a special place in life that I was meant to fill.
A sunny spot where flowers grow, upon a windy hill.

There's always a tomorrow
and the best is yet to be,
for somewhere in this world,
I know there is a place for me.

~© Grace E. Easley

Little Things in Life

Little stones make big mountains,
Little steps can cover miles,
Little acts of loving-kindness
Give the world it's biggest smiles...

Little words can soothe big troubles
Little hugs can dry big tears,
Little candles light the darkness,
Little memories last for years...

Little dreams can lead to greatness,
Little victories to success~
It's the little things in life
That brings the greatest happiness...

~ Author Unknown

Friendship

Friendship needs no studied phrases,
Polished face, or winning wiles;
Friendship deals no lavish praises,
Friendship dons no surface smile.

Friendship follows Nature's diction,
Shuns the blandishments of Art,
Boldly severs truth from fiction,
Speaks the language of the heart.

Friendship favors no condition,
Scorns a narrow-minded creed,
Lovingly fulfills its mission,
Be it word or be it deed.

Friendship cheers the faint and weary,
Makes the timid spirit brave,
Warns the erring, lights the dreary,
Smoothes the passage to the grave.

Friendship - pure, unselfish friendship,
All through life's allotted span,
Nurtures, strengthens, widens, lengthens,
Man's relationship with man.

~Author Unknown

May You Always Feel Loved

May you find serenity and tranquility
in a world you may not always understand.

May the pain you have known
and the conflict you have experienced
give you the strength to walk through life
facing each new situation with courage and optimism.

Always know that there are those
whose love and understanding will always be there,
even when you feel most alone.

May a kind word,
a reassuring touch,
and a warm smile
be yours every day of your life,
and may you give these gifts
as well as receive them.

May the teachings of those you admire
become part of you,
so that you may call upon them.

Remember, those whose lives you have touched
and who have touched yours
are always a part of you,
even if the encounters were less than you would have wished.
It is the content of the encounter
that is more important than its form.

May you not become too concerned with material matters,
but instead place immeasurable value
on the goodness in your heart.
Find time in each day to see beauty and love
in the world around you.

Realize that what you feel you lack in one regard
you may be more than compensated for in another.
What you feel you lack in the present
may become one of your strengths in the future.
May you see your future as one filled with promise and possibility.
Learn to view everything as a worthwhile experience.

May you find enough inner strength
to determine your own worth by yourself,
and not be dependent
on another's judgment of your accomplishments.

May you always feel loved.

By Sandra Sturtz Hauss © 1987

WILDFLOWERS

Marsh Marigolds

(Photo: Courtesy by Janie of Utah)

 **********************************

Artwork by Jema Abellera Cejero

Are you a wildflower?

Wildflowers grow from mere dust to reach their full potential.

Wildflowers grow well, even in adverse soil conditions.

Wildflowers don't require late nights at the office to grow.

Wildflowers grow thick and stick together.

Wildflowers grow strong and tall.

Wildflowers display their brilliant personalities for all to see.

Wildflowers withstand drought and grow all the more beautiful when watered.

Wildflowers withstand frost and hale.

Wildflowers last late in the season, when other flowers have given up.

Are you a wildflower?

~The Happy Guy~

Angel in My Heart

When I have no one to turn to
And I am feeling kind of low;
When there is no one to talk to
And nowhere I want to go...

I search deep within myself
For it's the love inside my heart
That lets me know Angels are there
Even though we are miles apart.

A smile then appears upon my face
And the sun begins to shine;
I hear a voice, so soft and sweet
Saying, 'Everything will be just fine.'

It may seem that I am alone
But I'm never by myself at all;
Whenever I need my Angels near,
All I have to do is call.

An Angel's love is always true
On that you can depend;
They will always stand behind you
And will always be your friend.

Through darkest hours and brightest days
Our Angels see us through;
YOU are one of my Angels ...
Perhaps I am one for you.

~Anon~

ALWAYS A SUNRISE

Look out, look in. Every day has a sunrise.
Wherever you are, like a magic circle, the world is all around you.
Everything has a purpose. Every action a reaction.
All around you there are happenings.

People, places and ideas, all offering you opportunities.
Some to be touched and changed by the very nature of your uniqueness.
Others to be left alone for they are not worthy of you.
Life is a love affair. Love the people around you, love what you do.

Every day dawns with a sunrise. Always, high days and low days.
Blue skies of pleasure, there to enjoy. Celebrate.
Dark clouds of storming hurt, however black, they always pass.
Today was yesterday’s tomorrow; yesterday is gone. History.
And the wonder of yesterday is whatever we didn’t like is behind us.
Make a change. Unlimited you. Greatness from within.

There is no such thing as failure, only learning experiences.
Some things are easy to learn, others hard.
What is easy for one may be hard for another.
Lessons to be learned, not burdens to be carried.
Everyone is different. Everyone is special.
We are all creative. We are all tool makers.

Greatness and humility. Both are you.
Leader and follower. Warrior and water carrier.
Teacher and student. Champion and cheerleader. Who is to say?
One day you are one, the next day you are the other.
Pace setters tread the untrodden path.
Never given away your sunrise day of action to an excuse.

'When the time is right.' 'When I feel like it.' 'When I've enough money.'
Sometimes it’s too easy to justify not taking action.
Sometimes you have to say 'no' to your inner voice ...
when it tries to keep you too comfortably where you're at.
Always a new light. Always a new day. Each day a gift of opportunity.
There is always a sunrise even when it is far from our view.

There is always a door. We simply have to seek.
There is always a key. We simply have to persist.
And, sometimes, we just have to wait a while. Patience does have virtue.
There is always a future. The future is hope and the magic is faith.

It begins with you today. Today a new day. Always.
Today our decision to be the person we really want to be.
Today our choice of courage to accept what we cannot change.
Today our choice to rise to the challenge of changing what we must.
These are the choices of happiness.

Always an answer. You simply have to believe.
The dawn. The magic of a new day given to us.
A love affair. A love affair with today.
Today, a gift of opportunity; to laugh; to learn; to achieve;
to make someone happy, to be happy.
Always a sunrise.

~ By Rex Barker

Touch of an Angelic Friend

An angel was sent down from heaven one day
to visit a child who had nothing to say;
Now this young child was poor, great wealth she did lack,
but she always was happy in spite of the fact.

Until one day it happened — her best friend went away
and it left her heartbroken with nothing to say.

Now the task of the angel was a great one indeed,
to give hope to a heart that was so much in need.
And though great riches and power were at the angel's command,
he sent a lost kitten and the healing began.

The girl cheered the kitten as it tracked down a snail,
and she started to giggle when he chased his own tail.

Then without any warning the girl whose heart broke
found some reason for saying these words that she spoke —
"I love you little kitten ... I hope you will stay!
We will always be friends and together we’ll play."

Now the little girl was happy though she still remained poor,
for she had a new friend someone to care for.

You see riches and power are fine things indeed
but for a broken heart that is not what you need.
The angel was wise for he knew in the end
how to mend a broken heart with the touch of a friend.


Original version © 1999 ~ By Motivational Speaker Tom Krause ~ All rights reserved
Feline adaptation with permission - by Chelle Thompson of Inspiration Line

The Gift

"Every gift which is given, even though it be small, is in reality great, if it is given with affection."~Pindar.



I GIVE TO YOU
A fire to light inside your heart,
to feel the warm embers glow;
A splash of the sun's bright rays,
to melt even winter's snow.

I GIVE TO YOU
A piece of a rainbow to color your world,
when all seems totally gray;
Some roses for their lovely perfume,
to kiss you with a sweet bouquet.

I GIVE TO YOU
A sprinkling of some twinkling stars,
to wish upon at night;
The morning dew to bless the day,
to bask in its delight.

I GIVE TO YOU
A summer's breeze to caress your face,
to show that someone cares;
The sweet song of the nightingale,
to remind you nature's there.

I GIVE TO YOU
My lasting friendship, always true, and
Love to hold inside if ever you feel blue,
Or just because you need a friend ...
this friend, who is always there for you!!

~Author Unknown (Adaptation)

Photography: My friend Marilyn, who came down from Orange leaving home on a thick frosty morning to travel far just to give me my 60th Birthday treat on Magistic Cruise Dinner around Sydney Harbour. Afterward, she took me to the National Maritime Museum exploring The Endeavour and RAN Submarine. For once, we were like children one more time having fun and enjoying the day. We also had a Monorail Ride and culminated the day over a large glass of Milkshake. Thank you Marilyn for making my day unforgettable.

TO MY CHILDREN

"If we could hold each grain of sand
that sifts through the hour glass of life,

And cherish each one as a diamond rare,
and permit them to reflect their light,

We'd understand that diamonds are priceless,
and sand but worthless dust ...

And how we live each bit of today
reveals our life's brilliance."

~ By Daniel Roberts
(Submitted by his son Derek, an Inspiration Line subscriber
who lives in Colorado Springs, Colorado)

THE BEST DAY OF MY LIFE

Today, when I awoke, I suddenly realized that this is the best day of my life, ever!
There were times when I wondered if I would make it to today... but I did!
And because I did I'm going to celebrate!

Today, I'm going to celebrate what a great life I have had so far;
the accomplishments, the many blessings, and, even the hardships,
because they have served to make me stronger.
I will go through this day with my head held high, and a happy heart.
I will marvel at seemingly simple gifts: the morning dew,
the sun, the clouds, the trees, the flowers, the birds.
Today, none of these miraculous creations will escape my notice

Today, I will share my excitement for life with other people.
I'll make someone smile. I'll go out of my way to perform an unexpected
act of kindness for someone I don't even know.

Today, I'll give a sincere compliment to someone who seems down.
I'll tell a child how special they are, and I'll tell someone I love
just how deeply I care for them and how much they mean to me.

Today is the day I quit worrying about what I don't have and
start being grateful for all the wonderful things I have already been given.
I'll remember that to worry is just a waste of time because
my faith ensures everything will be just fine.

And tonight, before I go to bed, I'll go outside and raise my eyes to the skies.
I will stand in awe at the beauty of the stars and the moon,
and I will be grateful for these magnificent treasures.

As the day ends and I lay my head down on my pillow,
I will thank Goodness for the best day of my life.

And I will sleep the sleep of a contented child,
excited with expectation because I know tomorrow
is going to be the best day of my life, ever!

~ ©1993 Gregory M. Lousig-nont, Ph.D.
from "Chicken Soup for the Surviving Soul"

You Are Worthy

(Photo Courtesy by Bill Baker)

Do not undermine your worth by comparing yourself with others.
It is because we are different that each of us is special.

Do not set your goals by what other people deem important.
Only you know what is best for you.

Do not take for granted the things closest to your heart.
Cling to them as you would your life, for without them, life is meaningless.

Do not let your life slip through your fingers by living in the past, nor for the future.
By living your life one day at a time, you live all the days of your life.

Do not give up when you still have something to give.
Nothing is really over until the moment you stop trying.
It is a fragile thread that binds us to each other.

Do not be afraid to encounter risks.
It is by taking chances that we learn how to be brave.

Do not shut love out of your life by saying it is impossible to find.

The quickest way to receive love is to give love;
The fastest way to lose love is to hold it too tightly.

Do not dismiss your dreams.
To be without dreams is to be without hope;
To be without hope is to be without purpose.

Do not run through life so fast that you forget
not only where you have been, but also where you are going.

Life is not a race, but a journey to be savored each step

~ By Nancye Sims

Friendship

True friends are not dream-slashers

Choose friends wisely,
the portrait they paint
Is who you are and who you ain't.
Friendship is life's great support
When friends are of the right sort.
For all your dreams do they make room,
Or bring you down with doom and gloom?
You will know a friendship is true
When it brings out the best in you.

~David Leonhardt,

A Card from Karen

Please enlarge to read.

Birthday token from Judy

"GROWTH"

The river flows,
ever changing,
picking up speed here
and slowing down there,

narrowing,
widening,
dropping silt
and lifting up dirt,

joining,
separating,
warming
and cooling,

finally emptying into the sea,
just a hint of what it once was.

It is not the same river
as at the source.
It is not the same river
as where the turtles nest.
It is not the same river
as it is at the rapids.

We are each a river.

We flow.
We change.
We learn,
we forget.

We jump for joy.
We mourn a loss.

I don't know about you,
but my childhood feels
like someone else's life.

It's hard to believe
that was me,
that it is the same person.

Of course, it's not the same person.
It was a different person,
because now I'm different.

Different from me as a child.
Different from me as an adolescent.
Different from me as a young man.
Different from me even
as a new parent a few years ago...

in fact, my young daughters are different
than they were just a few years ago,
and it is hard for me to believe
they are the same girls.

Keep changing.
Keep learning.
Keep growing."

~David Leonhardt~
Source: The Happy Guy Newsletter
www.thehappyguy.com

Wherever There is Love

"Three Old Men" Italy Circa 1535
By Paramigianino (Girolamo Francesco Maria Mazzola)

A woman came out of her house and saw three old men with long white beards sitting in her front yard. She did not recognize them. She said "I don't think I know you, but you must be hungry. Please come in and have something to eat." "Is the man of the house home?", they asked. "No", she replied. "He's out." "Then we cannot come in", they replied. In the evening when her husband came home, she told him what had happened. "Go tell them I am home and invite them in!" The woman went out and invited the men in. "We do not go into a house together," they replied. "Why is that?" she asked. One of the old men explained: "His name is Wealth," he said pointing to one of his friends, and said pointing to another one, "He is Success, and I am Love." Then he added, "Now go in and discuss with your husband which one of us you want in your home." The woman went in and told her husband what was said. Her husband was overjoyed. "How nice!!", he said. "Since that is the case, let us invite Wealth. Let him come and fill our home with wealth!" His wife disagreed. "My dear, why don't we invite Success?" Their daughter-in-law was listening from the other corner of the house. She jumped in with her own suggestion: "Would it not be better to invite Love? Our home will then be filled with love!" "Let us heed our daughter-in-law's advice," said the husband to his wife. "Go out and invite Love to be our guest." The woman went out and asked the three old men, "Which one of you is Love? Please come in and be our guest." Love got up and started walking toward the house. The other two also got up and followed him. Surprised, the lady asked Wealth and Success: "I only invited Love, Why are you coming in?" The old men replied together: "If you had invited Wealth or Success, the other two of us would've stayed out, but you invited Love, and wherever he goes, we go also. Wherever there is Love, there is also Wealth and Success!" ~Author Unknown

I Know Who Holds Tomorrow

(From my old file)

I don't know about tomorrow;
I just live from day to day.
I don't borrow from its sunshine
For its skies may turn to grey.

I don't worry o'er the future,
For I know what Jesus said.
And today I'll walk beside Him,
For He knows what is ahead.

Many things about tomorrow
I don't seem to understand
But I know who holds tomorrow
And I know who holds my hand.

Every step is getting brighter
As the golden stairs I climb;
Every burden's getting lighter,
Every cloud is silver-lined.

There the sun is always shining,
There no tear will dim the eye;
At the ending of the rainbow
Where the mountains touch the sky.

Many things about tomorrow
I don't seem to understand
But I know who holds tomorrow
And I know who holds my hand.

I don't know about tomorrow;
It may bring me poverty.
But the one who feeds the sparrow,
Is the one who stands by me.

And the path that is my portion
May be through the flame or flood;
But His presence goes before me
And I'm covered with His blood.

Many things about tomorrow
I don't seem to understand
But I know who holds tomorrow
And I know who holds my hand.

~Anon~

How to be Wealthy

Friendships are priceless, time is invaluable,
health is wealth, and love is a treasure, so ...

Create a nest egg of beautiful memories that you can
dip into from time to time to ease any sorrows.

Have the kind of remembrances that raise you up with
their worth and keep you there with their wonder.

Always have a secret supply of hopes on hand
to help you plan your tomorrows.

Remember that when you invest in your dreams,
it is impossible to overpay.

Give away smiles and watch them
come back to you a hundred times over.

Stuff your pockets with kindness and optimism;
there is nothing more precious in the world.

I'm sharing this advice with you today because
YOU are such a valued part of my life.

~ Author Unknown ~